**TAMOXIFEN TEN***

[MaryAnnSingleton]

brand new shiny thread....our tenth !

Might be stupid question time here !
What do i do bra wise post surgery ?
Do i bring my normal pre surgery bras with me to hospital ?
Do I need any "special" bras ?

Hi Topsy, - just take one of your normal bras in with you - and they will give you a 'softie' -a very lightweight prosthesis you can where when you wound has healed a bit. - It will just sit inside your bra. You will get a proper prosthesis (weighted more like a real breast) about ten weeks after surgery - you'll need a mastectomy bra for that.

You can of course pick up a mastectomy bra if you want one initially and feel more secure in one, - you can get them in M&S, and I think ASDA do some basic ones, or online. But I wouldn't splash out on anything more expemsive until things have settled down a bit - because your size can change during treatment if your weight changes.

Sorry thats probably more info than you needed atm, basic point is, - no you don't need one for hospital

Will be thinking of you on Monday - have a good weekend xxx

Oh and also take nightwear for hospital that buttons down the front for easy access - makes life a bit easier Also ear plugs if you find it hard to sleep with noise! Good luck x

Thanks Kurri
Have been shopping for button up the front pjs , so sorted with that .
It was just the bra thing that I was worried about .
Being a large busted lady I also dont think they will have a softee in stock to match my other mahoosive nork !

I think I should bring a large box of ear plugs for the rest of the ward though , as I am a snorer ......

topsy, have you got an iPod? I found that good in hospital. Take some wipes too - in fact take lots. Helps to freshen up and maybe a little portable fan in case it's hot. You won't be there for very long though - soon be home.

Just remembered, are you having nodes taken too? Am guessing you'll have drains - have they talked to you about them? If you are, you could usefully take a bag to put them in. Some hospitals provide them, but mine didn't. The drains hang down under your PJ's and are sports bottle sized. You might have two to start with, so one for breast, one for nodes, but the breast one usually goes quite quickly. The bag needs to hang at your side to hold the drains at waist height, so a shoulder bag that you can sling across is ideal.

a nice refreshing spritz spray - I took some Dior Sweet Sun which is alcohol free and smells of sunny beaches-good for keeping spirits lifted.
I was in and out quickly though so didn't need much in the way of hospital supplies. Have a lovely weekend and will be sending lots of good thoughts for Monday xx

First Tposy - if you're still reading- I do wish you all good luck for your op and will be thinking of you tomorrow. Big hugs.

I have laughed at the cat and geese and knickers stories!!

Hope you're improving Pink and [pushing your immunity back up - its always a worry. I'm glad we only got our cat post-chemo as I'd have been worrying about all the little scratches he can give!

DD's first finals exam did not go very well - it was a linguistics practical involving pc - she thinks she made quite 'major mistake' - o dear - at least it was only a minor exam and not worth TOO many marks out of the total...DS's first AS went fine though, he thinks. I reall think it worse to be the parent of an exam-taker than actually doing them yourself.

Blustery here today. Have been for a swim, then coffee with a friend but am staying in now.

AAAGGGHHH - had to rush off - ancient tumble dryer making terrible noise and has clapped out. O dear.

good luck for tomorrow topsy.

sands...hopefully your daughter has done much better than she thinks. im feeling alot better thanks some of my taste has come back this cycle so im eating much better and as a result feeling much better.

well today has been eventful my son is in my bad books after shooting the man whose garden backs on to ours out of his bedroom window turns out he had a bb gun that shoots little plastic yellow bullets i didnt know about after wheeling and dealing with a friend to get hold of one (ive always said no to him having one) at first he pretended to still be asleep then he admitted he was bored saw a man with a shiny bald head sparkling in the sun and couldnt resist .sounds funny but not so funny when your woke up early in the morning by a red faced man looking like hes verging on having a heart attack banging your door down screaming "your son just shot me with a pellet gun" and when i protested he doesnt own a pellet gun and hes still asleep he said "he bloody well does and hes not a ........... asleep at all" hes now grounded with a bb gun in the bin.

Pink, blimey!! What a situation for you to have to sort out!

Afternoon all.

Had a totally rubbish start to the day where I just felt so low, but feeling much brighter now thank goodness. I will get used to this roller-coaster of emotions sooner or later, I'm sure...

Who's for a or ?

Good luck for everyone this week....

Crikey Pink, that sounds all a bit heavy to deal with...

Amber - sorry you had a rough start to the day. Hang on there - it does get better in the end.

I saw the post from Wubbly about secondaries. Wubbly, if you're lurking on here, I'm sending big hugs and do hope you're coping OK. XX

'eck Pink. Was DS contrite? Though the impish side of me can see the attraction in that gleaming bald head.

Amber, I'm up for a . Would be up for but DS has gone out and there isn't any. Glad you're a bit more up now. I used to think of it as one step forward and two steps back. Only thing that helped me is knowing it's normal. It'll pass, promise.

SR, exams sound very stressful. I am a long way from that stage, but am sure I'll find it just as hard. You all need treats.

Am really just nipping in to send Topsy all the virtual hugs she can possibly carry. Will be thinking of you, so hurry back and let us know how you are when you're up to it. Am sure it'll be a relief once you're out the other side.

Hope all others on treatment are okay. Here's to a sunny, healthy week.

good heavens pink !!

amber- am glad the day got better for you
SR - poor dd =but she's probably done better than she imagines - so stressful,this exam stuff. Has the tumble dryer died ?
I do hope wubbly is ok- I feel bad for not pursuing her post on the other thread- wubbly,if you are about am thinking of you.
And topsy- lots of good thoughts for tomorrow xxx

amber...how are you feeling,i kmow with me when i dont feel well it really gets me down.

sands..yes not the best way to start a day.

smee..ds has learning difficulties so he doesnt see things like every one else he is actually very innicent so it wasnt meant in a mean way.he was sorry once i told him i would ground him till he was 30 if he didnt stop telling me what a good shot he was.

Ha ha pink - it does sound awful to deal with but, bless him. Funny as well.

MAS, I don't think pursuing Wubbly on the other thread was really doable so don't feel bad. She knows where we are, and that we would discuss it here, and also that we'd love to hear from her so I'm guessing she probably does not feel like talking about it.

SR - am sure the exams will be better than feared (well, mine never were, but I'm sure your dd's will be). It must be agonising to wait though.

I know topsy is at the hospital and in the thick of it now, but I am sending vibes and will light a candle in a moment, as i do for all our ladies at key moments. This time it's a nice fresh lemony one....

Nice idea Cakes, will do similar.

Pink, I know it's a headache, but your DS does sound lovely. Must be a worry though.

I have my parents coming to stay tonight. The house is a tip and I have impossible amounts of work to do, so obviously that's why I'm on here..

Sometimes I think of this thread as my little hidey hole....

Goodness Pink - an eventful weekend, - why do our kids think its their job to constantly think up things to keep us on our toes?

Sorry you had a wobble yesterday Amber - hope you are feeling a bit better today

Lots of good vibes for Topsy - I haven't got a candle atm, but will light an incense stick on the same principle and hope everything goes smoothly for her.

SR - Sorry your DD had a tricky paper - but she's probably done much better than she thinks in it - I find thats usually the case.
I've been up early this morning lending a sympthetic ear to DD's final tweaks for her Dissertation which goes to the printers/binders today. Tomorrow she has to hand in a ten minute composition, and a broadway review, then she's finished [hooray]

My dad has been poorly again (for those who are newer here, he has alzheimers). My mum gave him a bowl of pudding to eat, then went into another room for a minute, when she came back he'd got the big container of salt (the one you use to fill the salt celler) and poured salt all over his pudding, and eaten it. So of course he was terribly sick and mum had to phone NHS direct, and sit up with him all night to keep checking his blood pressure etc. Eating a lot of salt is not a good plan (in case anyone felt like trying it ) - and he had about 3 tablespoonsful she reckons.
He's OK now though thank goodness, (didn't know who I was on the phone the other day though - which is happening more often recently )

Hope everyone else had a good weekend.

Ooh - good luck with parental visit and tidying Smee (your house cannot be as big a tip as mine is atm)

Oh Kurri, that's Good he's okay, but how bizarre that he didn't just stop as soon as he tasted it.

x posted - bet it can.

he just instantly forgets things, so has one taste that's nasty - he then forgets and eats some more and so on.
If he looks away from his meal for a few secs. he will look surprised to see it in front of him when he sees it again. ( Its a very odd and horrible illness)
Mum says she has also caught him trying to put shaving foam in his coffee - she has to watch him like a toddler!

No, I'm sure I'd win - my house is exceptionally messy

I have this to come, as my mother's in early stages. She's nowhere near where your poor dad is yet though. Must be so hard on your mum.

Exceptional, pah! Bet you haven't got a mound of washing higher than the fridge.

Morning all. Sorry I haven't been around for a few days.

I know Topsy will be at the hospital now but I have been sending lots of vibes and wish her all the very best.

Pink, I know I shouldn't - but I did laugh at DS and his bb gun. They're terrible things but have such appeal to young boys and, well, that bald head, glinting in the sun must have seemed so irresistable.

Amber, I hope you're feeling better today. I think we've all had lots of days like that.

SR, I'm sorry to hear about DS's exam. You never know though, she might have done better than expected.

KK, I expect you'll all be relieved after tomorrow when DS has finished. It's such a stressful time. Sorry to hear about your poor dad (and of course, mum, who has to deal with it all). Hopefully the salt wont do too much harm.

Well, I've been feeling fine this last week or so. FEC (apart from the sickness) isn't as bad as the Docetaxol imo. I know others will disagree but I'm so relieved I haven't been admitted to hospital this time round. If only I can get the sickness sorted out when I have the next FEC on Wednesday then I should be alright. I have new tablets so am keeping everything crossed they work but, if they don't , I've bought myself a new sick bowl. . I'm at this hospital later for an echocardiogram as part of the trial I was on. They did a "before" and this is the "after". Apparently the Avastin affected the hearts of some patients in America but rectified itself when they stopped. Then tomorrow it's routine bloods and a visit to the oncologist (and the results of my ultrasound to see if the lump has shrunk). I am dreading that so much just in case it hasn't. .

washing no, - ironing yes, and washing up, and there seems to be 'stuff' all over the place, we have far too much 'stuff' - I want to throw things away, but DH is a terrible hoarder.

Sorry to hear about your mum - My Dad is very late stages now, - he had several years where he was still in reasonable health - you could chat to him etc., maybe the last 3 years he's started going downhill. And only the last year that mum's needed SS help looking after him.
Does your mum take Aricept? - I think that helped slow things down a bit for dad.